What’s a Smart Home?

If you have parents who have been fiercely active and independent all through their lives, a life in a healthcare facility would be the last thing they would want in their twilight years. If they are free from any mild cognitive impairment (MCI), physical disabilities or a medical condition, there is a good chance they can manage to live with a certain degree of independence in a smart home. A location in a subtropical climate with mild winters is ideal for the elderly. There are a good number of homes for sale College Station that you can convert into smart homes if and when you decide to let them keep their own abode in this area.

Smart Home Defined

A smart home makes a perfect alternative to a facility for the elderly. It uses “home automation” technologies that monitor, maintain and control many elements of a home – temperature, lights, multi-media systems, window/door operations, security and many other functions. Any electric device can be made a part of this intelligent and sophisticated system.

How It Works

The devices are connected so that each will be in communication with the rest of the gadgets in the system. It works by providing intelligent feedback and information to homeowners. Based on the updated feedback, they can then decide what to do with each element – turn off a device, lower the temperature of the A/C, start the TV, catalogue the contents of the refrigerator, etc. The controls are generally easy to operate so that even the elderly can manage them. They can give a command by using a handheld device such as a tablet, smartphone or a remote control, or they can use voice command.

Fitting vs. Retro-fitting

If you have to buy a home for them or for you, a newly built one with wirings and controls that are becoming usual for today’s houses can be less complicated and expensive. Retro-fitting old homes are doable but harder and more costly. Wires and sensors need to be installed and these may require contractors to demolish or refurbish certain structures of your home.

Benefits of a Smart Home

Smart homes offer many pluses. The system will provide you with updated information about the various aspects of your home any time and easily control, manage and monitor all these without the need to do any physical inspection and adjustments. You can quiet your worries and check the perimeters and security-monitored areas of your home while enjoying the comfort of your multi-media.

By connecting the various devices in your parents’ home, a smart refrigerator can generate feedback telling them what they have and what they need to buy, even recommend food options, suggest healthy substitutes and order replacements.

Have you heard of green homes? A smart home can also be green with the right devices. It will allow you use electricity efficiently as you shut off gadgets that are not in use, open a window and shut down an A/C, and more.

You don’t have to spend $100 million like Bill Gates to build a smart home. A tech-savvy home can be yours with the concept and related products becoming more competitive and available to regular consumers.

A healthcare facility is a good option for your aging parents, but if you want them to enjoy their independence, you can make living easy for them with a smart home.